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Outgoing Penguin Canada chief executive David Davidar has been accused of sexual harassment by a former employee of the publishing company resulting in his contract having been "terminated". The sexual harassment allegations were made by Lisa Rundle, former director of digital publishing and foreign rights for Penguin Canada, in a statement of claim filed with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on 9th June. Rundle is also claiming damages from Penguin for "wrongful dismissal".
In the court documents Rundle has alleged that Davidar "sexually harassed her repeatedly over the past three years, culminating in outright assault at the Frankfurt Book Fair".
Penguin">http://www.thebookseller.com/news/120544-david-davidar-to-leave-penguin-... Canada announced Davidar's surprise departure last week claiming that it was voluntary, but in a new statement issued late on Friday prompted by the litigation, Penguin Canada admitted that Davidar had been sacked following the alleged sexual harassment: "Mr. Davidar was asked to leave the company last month and his departure was announced on June 8. Mr. Davidar will play no further role in the company."
A statement released by Davidar said he "was disappointed" that Penguin Canada had made a public statement about the litigation, and admitted: "At Penguin’s request, I agreed to publicly state that my departure was voluntary. The truth is that a former colleague accused me of sexual harassment and Penguin terminated my employment."
Davidar stated: "I had a friendship with my colleague which lasted for three years. I am utterly shocked by the allegations. I am dismayed that Penguin Canada chose to respond to them by directing me to leave Penguin. I intend to defend the allegations vigorously in the courts, and I am certain that the truth will prevail. As I said earlier this week, I intend to pursue my writing career. I do not intend to make further comment on the pending legal proceedings."
Canadian newspaper the Globe and Mail reports that http://www.theglobeandmail.com/books/sexual-harassment-suit-rocks-pengui... target="_blank" title="Rundle">http://www.theglobeandmail.com/books/sexual-harassment-suit-rocks-pengui... is claiming damages of $423,000 from Penguin for wrongful dismissal and the "harsh, vindictive and malicious fashion" with which it allegedly treated her following her complaints against Davidar. She is also seeking damages of $100,000 against Davidar personally.
In its statement Penguin Canada insisted that "Rundle was not terminated by Penguin Canada". But Rundle’s lawyer, Bobbi Olsen, http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/822920--plot-thickens-in-penguin... target="_blank" title="dismissed">http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/822920--plot-thickens-in-penguin... the company’s claim, telling the Toronto Star that her client had spent eight years working her way up and had expressed that she wanted to continue working for the company, just not directly with Davidar.
Penguin Canada said that it now expects to appoint a new head of the Canadian company in the "near future".
Davidar is the author of the novel The House of Blue Mangoes, which was published in 2002 by HarperCollins. His second novel, The Solitude of Emperors, was published in 2007 by Weidenfeld & Nicolson.